The world has seen several bizarre changes over the years due to controversial policies and figures.

One of which is American billionaire Elon Musk, who is no stranger to the spotlight.

Yet, even the world’s most headline-grabbing billionaire is not immune to heated conversations.


In a recent interview with CBS Sunday Morning, the discussion took an unexpected turn when the conversation veered into politics, specifically around one of United States President Donald Trump’s most divisive policies.

The interview with CBS’s David Pogue at SpaceX’s headquarters in Texas, was meant to focus on Musk’s space ambitions.

It also put a spotlight on his role at the helm of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).


Yet, as is often the case with live interviews, things didn’t quite go to plan.

It all started innocently, with Pogue asking Musk about the impact of Trump’s tariffs on his businesses.

However, the curveball came about when Musk was asked about his support towards Trump’s ban foreign students from the US.


Musk, who was fresh from an official farewell ceremony in the White House, was clearly not in the mood for a discussion.

'Yeah. I mean, I think we wanna stick to, you know, the subject of the day, which is, like, spaceships, as opposed to, you know, presidential policy,' he replied, steering the conversation back to the conversation.

However, Pogue was not willing to let things go.

He reminded Musk that he had been told 'anything is good' as far as interview topics.

Musk, visibly irritated, shot back with a resounding 'No.'

The conversation took another turn towards Musk’s leadership of DOGE.


According to Musk, the department had become a scapegoat for everything unpopular about the Trump administration.

'It’s a bit unfair because, like, DOGE became the whipping boy for everything,' Musk lamented.

'So, if there was some cut, real or imagined, everyone would blame DOGE.'

He even joked that some people thought DOGE was responsible for their Social Security cheques being delayed—a claim he dismissed as 'untrue.'

Pogue pressed on and asked if the Silicon Valley mantra of 'move fast and break things' really works when it comes to government agencies.

'It depends on where you’re coming from,' Musk vaguely answered.

He explained his ideological stance as a proponent of small government, likening the government to 'the DMV that got big'.

'When you say, “Let’s have the government do something,” you should think, “Do you want the DMV to do it?”' he asked.


Interestingly, Musk volunteered that he did not always agree with the Trump administration, despite his financial support for Trump’s 2024 campaign.

'It’s not like I agree with everything the administration does,' he clarified.

'But we have differences of opinion. There are things that I don’t entirely agree with.’

‘But it’s difficult for me to bring that up in an interview because then it creates a bone of contention,' he lamented.

Musk then admitted feeling 'stuck in a bind', not wanting to publicly criticise the administration but also not wanting to take responsibility for all its actions.

The interview aired days before Musk’s final appearance in Washington, D.C., where President Trump feted him in the Oval Office.

Watch the full interview here:

In another interview with The New York Times, Musk was asked about allegedly widespread drug use and about a black eye he was sporting.

Musk explained that he’d encouraged his young son, X, to punch him in the face.

Musk’s prickly response to political questions highlighted a broader issue about business leaders getting entangled in politics.

As the head of multiple high-profile companies and a vocal supporter of government policies, Musk found himself in an often uncomfortable position.

For many Australians, this raised interesting questions about the role of business leaders in shaping public policy, and whether they should be held accountable for the actions of the governments they supported.

It also showed how quickly a conversation about rockets could turn into a debate about the future of society.
Have you ever found yourself in a heated debate about politics when talking about something else? Should business leaders like Musk be grilled about their political views, or should interviews stick to their area of expertise? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.